तब रावन मय-सुता उठाई । कहइ लाग खल निज प्रभुताई ॥
सुनु तैं प्रिया बृथा भय माना । जग जोधा को मोहि समाना ॥
taba rāvana maya-sutā uṭhāī | kahai lāga khala nija prabhutāī ||
sunu taiṃ priyā bṛthā bhaya mānā | jaga jodhā ko mohi samānā ||
Lanka Kanda
Chapter 8: Ravana's boast, the flattering ministers, Prahasta
6 verses · 8 of 121
What happens in this chapter
Ravana's boast, the flattering ministers, Prahasta
Ravana raises Maya's daughter and boasts: you fear in vain, beloved. By the strength of my arms I conquered Varuna, Kubera, Vayu, Yama and Kala, every guardian of the quarters; gods, danavas and men are all under me. Why should you fear? Then he returns to his court. Mandodari understands in her heart that pride has risen in him because Time has him in its grip. In the court Ravana asks his ministers how to fight the enemy. They answer: why ask again and again, lord? What is there to fear? Men, monkeys and bears are our food. Hearing them all, Prahasta joins his palms and says: do not go against sound policy, my lord; these ministers have very little sense.
बरुन कुबेर पवन जम काला । भुज बल जितेउँ सकल दिगपाला ॥
देव दनुज नर सब बस मेरे । कवन हेतु उपजा भय तोरें ॥
baruna kubera pavana jama kālā | bhuja bala jiteum̐ sakala digapālā ||
deva danuja nara saba basa mere | kavana hetu upajā bhaya toreṃ ||
नाना विधि तेहि कहेसि बुझाई । सभाँ बहोरि बैठ सो जाई ॥
मंदोदरीं हृदय अस जाना । काल-बिबस उपजा अभिमाना ॥
nānā vidhi tehi kahesi bujhāī | sabhām̐ bahori baiṭha so jāī ||
maṃdodarīṃ hṛdaya asa jānā | kāla-bibasa upajā abhimānā ||
सभाँ आइ मन्त्रिन्ह तेहि बूझा । करब कवनि बिधि रिपु से जूझा ॥
कहहिँ सचिव सुनु निसिचर-नाहा । बार बार प्रभु पूछहु काहा ॥
sabhām̐ āi mantrinha tehi būjhā | karaba kavani bidhi ripu se jūjhā ||
kahahim̐ saciva sunu nisicara-nāhā | bāra bāra prabhu pūchahu kāhā ||
कहहु कवन भय करिय बिचारा । नर कपि भालु अहार हमारा ॥
kahahu kavana bhaya kariya bicārā | nara kapi bhālu ahāra hamārā ||
सब के बचन सबहि के सवन सुनि, कह प्रहस्त कर जोरि ।
नीति-बिरोध न करिय प्रभु, मत्रिंन्ह मति अति-थोरि ॥
saba ke bacana sabahi ke savana suni, kaha prahasta kara jori |
nīti-birodha na kariya prabhu, matriṃnha mati ati-thori ||
Text source: Wikisource · Public domain (Tulsidas, 16th c.; 1925 edition, Wikisource PD-1996 tag); transcription CC BY-SA 4.0